Category: Government Actions

Teacher Prep Groups Sue USDE over Cuts to Teacher Training Grants (March 5, 2025)

On March 3, 2025, three teacher preparation groups filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland seeking to overturn funding cuts to teacher training programs that were made by the Ā U.S. Department of Education (USDE). The plaintiffs (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, National Center for Teacher Residencies, and Maryland Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) claim the USDE ā€œfailed to follow statute and Federal regulations in terminating the grantsā€ and are requesting reinstatement of the grant awards.

Over 100 educator prep grant awards that have been terminated are funded under three congressionally appropriated programs: the Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant Program, the Teacher Quality Partnership Program and the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

Teacher Prep Groups Sue USDE over Cuts to Teacher Training Grants (March 5, 2025)

On March 3, 2025, three teacher preparation groups filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland seeking to overturn funding cuts to teacher training programs that were made by the Ā U.S. Department of Education (USDE). The plaintiffs (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, National Center for Teacher Residencies and Maryland Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) claim the USDE ā€œfailed to follow statute and Federal regulations in terminating the grantsā€ and are requesting reinstatement of the grant awards.

Over 100 educator prep grant awards that have been terminated are funded under three congressionally appropriated programs: the Supporting Effective Educator Development Grant Program, the Teacher Quality Partnership Program and the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

Letter from Education Orgs Urges Congress to Reinstate Teacher Workforce Grants (March 4, 2025)

Over 100 education organizations have sent a letter to Congress urging the urging lawmakers to order the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to reinstate canceled federal grants that sought to address the shortage of qualified educators in K-12 schools,. The letter is in response to a $600 million cut to ā€œdivisiveā€ teacher training grants made on Feb. 17 by the USDE impacting grants such as the Supporting Effective Educator Development, Teacher Quality Partnership. and the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program. In addition, the canceled funding for educator preparation training programs, which include teacher apprenticeships and grow-your-own initiatives, has already disrupted the educator pipeline to fill vacancies next school year as teacher candidates have lost scholarships and paid internships just months before they were to earn their full licensure, according to the letter.

To date, school districts have hired hundreds of thousands of uncertified teachers in recent years to help plug holes left by teacher shortages, and the programs affected buy funding cuts were instituted to help address that issue.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

USDE Provides Q&A Doc. to Help Clarify Its Stance on DEI in Schools (March 4, 2025)

On February 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Educationā€™s (USDE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a frequently asked questions document to answer anticipated questions that may be raised in response to the Dear Colleague Letter: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in Light of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard that was issued on February 14, 2025 and stated that Title VI prohibits schools from ā€œusing race in decisions pertaining toā€¦administrative supportā€ and ā€œall other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.” Title VI is the federal civil rights law that protects against race-based discrimination. The Q&A document is titled Frequently Asked Questions About Racial Preferences and Stereotypes Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Following the February 14th DCL, the USDE launched an anti-DEI portal aimed at identifying potential areas for investigation. USDE also encouraged parents, students, and teachers to use the portal to bring to USDE’s attention schools or school districts using ā€œillegal discriminatory practices,ā€ as well as the teaching of ā€œdivisive ideologies and indoctrination.ā€

According to K-12 Dive, how the USDE’s focus on DEI programming will impact students with disabilities remains to be seen. Since schools often serve disabled students through inclusive practices. While the special education community has asked for clarification on that issue, the updated guidance does not answer those questions.

For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

McMahon Confirmed as U.S. Ed. Sec. (March 4, 2025)

On March 3, 2025, Linda McMahon was confirmed as the new U.S. Secretary of Education. Her first order of business will be the downsizing and possible elimination of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). McMahon’s confirmation was on the same date that USDE workers were given an opportunity to accept a $25,000 separation agreement by a minute before midnight as per a February 28th written notice.

At a February 13th hearing, McMahon stated that there were possible ways to move programs from the USDE to other agencies. For example, education-related civil rights investigations could be housed at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could take responsibility for the delivery of IDEA services for disabled students. She also stated her aim to expand school choice and skills-based learning, give local schools and parents more decision-making power, and protect students from discrimination and harassment. For more from K-12 Dive, click here.